Joaquín Duro of Telemundo: “With The Launch Of The FAST Sports Channel in August, We’ll Double The Number of Hours To 1,000 Per Year”

Joaquín Duro, Executive VP of Sports at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, has many reasons to celebrate. The new live sports show El Pelotazo, which has been on air for about two weeks, is already showing solid ratings during its midnight slot.

“The reception has been fantastic. We’re coming off a hat trick or trifecta, which is the result of everything we’ve been doing over the past six months and a day since I returned to the sports division. I’ve been at Telemundo for ten years, in sports and more recently leading streaming. Since I came back to sports, we’ve changed quite a bit—to elevate production quality, adding new talent to our existing team, and expanding platforms. All of this is in preparation for the World Cup—using it as a springboard to keep growing,” Duro told PRODU.

This “trifecta” of successes includes the promising debut of El Pelotazo, the Chivas Clásico—“which has been the #1 soccer event so far this year in the U.S., regardless of language”—and the Argentina vs. Brazil match, which ranked as the second top event (excluding the Super Bowl). “In March, we had three major events: El Pelotazo, the Chivas match, and the World Cup qualifier,” he said.

Duro explained that each year they aim to create new dynamics. From 2015 to 2018, they launched their streaming platform; from 2018 to 2022, they capitalized on social media growth; and in 2022, they established a presence on Peacock.

“2026 is far from the end. We’re using it to build other platforms we’re launching, like the FAST Channel, and to set up our daily shows that will run both on Telemundo and the FAST Channel, as well as to grow all the properties we already have,” he added.

EL PELOTAZO

The executive described El Pelotazo as a much more dynamic show than usual, with a socially friendly language and format. “Instead of the typical 10-minute discussion segment that’s hard to repurpose, our segments are short, branded, and purposefully designed to be extended. Some of these already exist as full shows on the FAST Channel we’re launching in August.”

He added that the idea is to build brands around some of these segments and offer new options for advertisers. “Honestly, I come from streaming, where you have to be scrappy to generate revenue—monetize on all platforms and in every format possible, not just rely on TV sponsorships.”

That’s why they’re aiming to increase the number of sports programming hours with the FAST Channel.

SPORTS FAST CHANNEL LAUNCHING IN AUGUST

Duro noted that Telemundo currently produces about 500 hours of sports content annually.

“Once the FAST Channel launches, we’ll be producing more than 1,000. That gives us engagement and tons of opportunities for our sales team, and lets us better serve our audience, which, in my opinion, we all need to do a better job of.”

He said Telemundo is moving toward more live programming. “I believe we’re already doing eight hours of live content daily, and it’s part of our broader campaign.” The FAST Channel will feature more than nine hours of live content per day. “We’re committed to bringing more live sports to Telemundo. We’ll be sharing more details soon about leagues, rights, and shows still in development.”

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE WORLD CUP COVERAGE EVER

Asked about the operation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Duro emphasized that it will be “the most extensive coverage in the history of the World Cup.”

He said they will have the largest-ever on-the-ground presence at stadiums and cities during the World Cup. “Not just because Telemundo and Telemundo Deportes are putting in more effort, but also because we have the support of the entire company and especially our local stations. We have over 30 owned-and-operated Telemundo stations and about 70 affiliates. The proximity to communities and fans, and the stories we can tell from our cities and our people, will be far more meaningful than anything we did in Russia.”

He added that during the Russia World Cup, “the story we did about the Moscow metro was amazing and beautiful, but it was still something exotic. When we tell the stories of Latino communities in Dallas and Los Angeles—or even cities without stadiums but where teams are based and training—that opens the door to featuring more communities and making the whole country feel included. The storylines will be much more relatable to our everyday lives and our people. Our goal is to get closer to the fans and the community, because in the end, they’re the ones who make the World Cup.”